Moscow: The largest event of Halal-industry in Russia and Eastern Europe, the “5th Moscow International Halal exhibition Moscow Halal Expo 2014” will take place in Moscow in Russia from June 5 to June 8, 2014. The organizer of the exhibition is Russian Muftis Council.

With the increasing number of Muslims, the demand for Halal products and services is growing every year. However, Halal products and services are popular not only among Muslims, but also among people of other confessions and ideologies, as Halal products are known for its quality and the sphere of Halal services is based on mutual respect and honest cooperation.

The project of Moscow Halal Expo has been starting since 2010. Since that time Moscow Halal Expo has become an annual event with significantly increasing participants of each year and confirming the potential of the Halal market. This year there will be held the Fifth Moscow International Halal Exhibition “Moscow Halal Expo” which is expected to bring more than 200 companies together and expand the geography of participants. Purposes and objectives of this grand event are to develop intense trade and business relations between Russia and the Islamic countries and to share their experiences, to develop the Islamic finance system in the Russian Federation and Halal industry in Russia and abroad, the expansion of knowledge of Islam culture and religion.

Traditionally, the first two days of the exhibition will be dedicated to Moscow Halal Business Forum, representing the “5th Moscow International Halal Congress” and the “5th Islamic finance and investment Forum”. It will join the experts of Halal industry and Islamic finance sphere from different countries, who most of them are businessmen, investors and scientists. Within the Moscow Halal Business Forum program, Investment session will be held by the Islamic Business Club «Business Development Club» with the support of the Russian Association of Experts in Islamic finance.

The next days of the exhibition are marked by the other significant events – the III Muslim Youth Forum “Change the world for the better!” and International Festival “Islamic style”. The exhibition program also includes the III Cuisine show and Festival of Islamic art and culture.

It can be noted that within Moscow Halal Expo 2014, two competitions – “Best Halal Product” and “Best Halal Company” will be held.

About the exhibition Organizers – Russian Muftis Council stated that: “This year the exhibition celebrates its fifth anniversary, and therefore promises to be an even grander scale in comparison with previous years. We do not doubt that this exhibition will bring great benefits, Muscovites and visitors will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the latest innovations in Halal industry. All the best Halal products, which are sometimes not easy to find in our big city, for 4 days (from 5 to 8 of June), will be presented to you in one place – Moscow Halal Expo”.

Dr. Khalid Al Miqdady, Director of the Arab Islamic Center for Economical Research and Studies “AICERS”, said regarding the meaning of organizing such exhibition in Moscow: “the importance of this exhibition, held in Moscow, is to provide necessary support to international conferences concerned with Halal Industry as a whole , and to support the efforts of the event organizers to introduce Halal products and services to the wider public of Muslims interested in those products, especially in Europe , where it is estimated the growing number of Muslims has doubled over the last thirty years , and the number of Muslims in Eastern Europe is expected to increase about 17.6% until the year 2020 , according to a Reuters’ 2013 report , and this is due to increased demand for migrant Muslim labour or due to Muslims migrating for study or because of the increased number of people embracing the Islam religion in general , which requires the provision of products and services commensurate with the nature of Muslims , which is provided by such exhibitions in particular” .

Moscow International Halal Exhibition has become an important event in Halal industry and an effective platform for experts, key players and the business communities’ integration of the world Halal market.